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Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

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Blackbody radiation Zeeman shift in Rydberg atoms.

K Beloy¹, B D Hunt^1,2, R C Brown¹

¹National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA.

Physical Review. A

|May 15, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Room-temperature blackbody radiation (BBR) induces Zeeman shifts in Rydberg atoms. Unlike Stark shifts, these Zeeman shifts grow with quantum number, potentially surpassing Stark shifts for Rydberg constant determination experiments.

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Area of Science:

Atomic Physics
Quantum Mechanics
Spectroscopy

Background:

Blackbody radiation (BBR) significantly influences Rydberg atomic energy levels.
The BBR Stark shift is a well-known effect, approaching a constant value with increasing principal quantum number.
The BBR Zeeman shift, influenced by diamagnetic contributions, exhibits distinct behavior with respect to the principal quantum number.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the BBR Zeeman shift in Rydberg atoms.
To compare the BBR Zeeman shift with the BBR Stark shift.
To evaluate the significance of the BBR Zeeman shift in precision measurements, such as Rydberg constant determination.

Main Methods:

Theoretical analysis of Zeeman and Stark shifts induced by BBR in Rydberg atoms.
Investigation of the dependence of these shifts on the principal quantum number.
Modeling of a specific experimental scenario for Rydberg constant determination.

Main Results:

The BBR Zeeman shift increases steeply with the principal quantum number, unlike the asymptotically constant BBR Stark shift.
For transitions between Rydberg states, the BBR Zeeman shift can exceed the BBR Stark shift.
This finding has implications for experiments requiring high precision, like Rydberg constant measurements.

Conclusions:

The BBR Zeeman shift is a crucial factor to consider in high-precision Rydberg atom experiments.
Understanding the differential shifts is essential for accurate measurements.
The study highlights the importance of the diamagnetic contribution to BBR shifts in Rydberg spectroscopy.